11-8-05 NM Leland Fuerstman, STD Charlotte Chess Club (www.charlottechess.com/views.htm) 7110 Lancashire Dr. Mint Hill, N.C. 28227 GM Larry Evans 3068 US Route 9W, Ste 200 New Windsor, NY 12553 Re: "Touch Move Conundrum" Honorable Grandmaster: I have always valued your educated opinion. However, rules must take precedence.  Jude Acers' question caught my attention because I had been involved in the exact circumstance in the mid 80's in a game versus NM Daniel Liu. Though I was the director of that event, I still denied my own claim!?   In the USCF Official Rules of Chess, 5th Edition, 10H, p.22 it states: "Piece touched off the board. There is no penalty for touching a piece that is off the board. A player who advances a pawn to the last rank and then touches a piece off the board is not obligated to promote the pawn to the piece touched until that piece has been released on the promotion square." Though your "call" is wrong;  you still remain as one of my few chess heroes! Keep up the great work. PS. We would love to see you compete in a major tournament again! Very respectfully yours, NM Leland Fuerstman (lelandfue@yahoo.com)